beef-up
an act or instance of strengthening or reinforcing.
Origin of beef-up
1Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use beef-up in a sentence
This is also a show that decided that in order to get better it needed to beef up its female presence.
The administration had been preparing to beef up its list of Russian human rights violators.
Exclusive: Obama Declines to Add Names to Russian Sanction List | Josh Rogin | December 19, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTAfter 9/11/2001, good fear prompted us to beef up transportation security.
She appeared in high-school plays and went to NYU to beef up on literature.
Gina Gershon on ‘Killer Joe,’ Tom Cruise, ‘Showgirls,’ ‘Bound’ | Ramin Setoodeh | July 18, 2012 | THE DAILY BEASTFor the time being, all they desire is to beef up U.S. military spending and presence in Asia.
Leslie H. Gelb: The Dangers of Warmongering on Syria, Iran | Leslie H. Gelb | March 9, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
They smoked the hams in him, and they sometimes put bacon and dried beef up there.
The House With Sixty Closets | Frank Samuel ChildCut the beef up into tiny bits; pour boiling water over it and let it stand one minute; pour it off and squeeze the meat dry.
The Fun of Cooking | Caroline French BentonWhen nearly done, take vegetables out and mash them well, and also cut the beef up fine.
Housekeeping in Old Virginia | Marion Cabell TyreeD'ye hear, George, carry that big piece of roast beef up to the Lion.
Fontainbleau | John O'Keeffe"I guess that's why they were so anxious to get the beef up to the pasture to-night," said Kit.
Ted Strong in Montana | Edward C. Taylor
Other Idioms and Phrases with beef-up
Strengthen, reinforce, as in Mary wants us to beef up her part in the play. This phrase relies on an older slang sense of beef as “muscles” or “power.” [Colloquial; late 1800s]
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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